Karolyn Machia

Mom ten years ago I asked you to write your own obituary, so I wouldn’t have to, but you didn’t want to. So, ten years later, here we are . . .

Karolyn Machia died peacefully on March 16, 2023 at Valley View Village here in Des Moines, she was 89.

She was born in Manitowoc Wisconsin on October 19, 1933. She attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Manitowoc and graduated in 1947, then went on to learn to be a pediatric nurse.

She married her high school sweetheart James Machia in 1952 and they were together until his death in 1998. Her and Jim then moved to Des Moines after he completed his time in the Air Force and were lifelong residents. She was proceeded in death by her parents Joe and Rose Kocian, and many family members that she loved from the state of Wisconsin.

She was a long-time member of Indianola Heights Church, and loved that her old and dear friends from church, Joy Baber, Arlene Brown, Denise St. John and Deloris Terral were also residents at Valley View Village.

She enjoyed all the friendships that she formed from the organizations that her and Jim were a part of over the years, the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine, The Sandrunners unit, the Navy Seabee’s and Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino to name a few.

She loved to socialize, it could be lunch, breakfast, coffee, or her always busy phone line, her friends Don and Sue Shoemaker, Ester Harper, Joyce Fargo, Lea Ferrari, Mary Wheeler and Nick and Clara Lee Romano would always be stopping by to chat.

She was an animal lover, and loved her horse Tanya and her dogs Pepe, Sam, and Tank that she took care of through the years. She was an avid collector of Hummel figurines, and loved to write letters and notes to friends and family.

She traveled extensively throughout the United States during her lifetime enjoying Alaska, Hawaii and her 20 plus trips to Las Vegas. Her and Jim always seemed to be gone or going somewhere.

Rather than speak about her love for her many winter trips to Padre Island or the part she played in helping her husband run his businesses, or her obsession with buying after Christmas clearance decorations, or her deep love and devotion to her rescue dog Tank, or sending cards out for what seemed like every occasion, or playing those Double Diamond slot machines, I would like to share a letter found from 1983 . . . in part it reads . . .
"Mrs. Machia. You don’t know me but I spent some time next to the hospital room your mother was in. I was there when she had a reaction to the chemo drug she was taking. You taught me so much about caring and mothering someone in crisis. Your care and love for your mother blazed through and you were truly an inspiration to me. I pray that I can help my daughter become the type of person that you were to your mother."

They say when a person has dementia they die twice. The first time for mom was 3 years ago. Through all of her journey, she stayed sweet and kept her humorous attitude. Rest easy mom, now you are at total peace.

In lieu of memorials I want to ask that you read the below list of people that were instrumental with mom’s journey. Then reach out to someone in your life and tell them how much they mean to you, with the understanding that one day either one of you might not have any memory of each other.

Sally Olander, Nancy Watson, Barb Post-Althaus and Alexis Morrison. Their support helped mom stay independent for an extended time before I “stuck her away in that place”.

The Bristol family, the Fargo family, the Ferrari family, the Hand family, the Harper family, the Klier family, the Lose family, the Rice family, the Romano family, the Wagner family and all their husbands, wives, kids, and grandkids. Mom thought the world of all of you.

Leighton, Star and the entire staff at Valley View Village. Janet, Pastor Mike, and the entire Hospice of Iowa Team. Mom kept them on their toes that’s for sure.

At a later date there will be a gathering of family.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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